Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-01-31
STATE WEATHER SERVICE.
Some of the Advantages that would Accru,
from tia AdoDtfOn.

Some of the Advantages that would Accrue
from its Adoption.
EDS. RECORD UNION l am informed that
| bill to create State weather service"
| for California is now in the hands Of the
Senate Finance Committee, and the said
committee makes the following objections
First-It creates new bureau which will
require permanent appropriation. Sec
ond-It is needless. Third-It would cause
the United States Signal Service to neglect
California.
have the honor to say, Messrs. Editors,
that the State weather service could and
should be attached to the State Agricult-
ural Society, and let the Secretary be the
Director of the State service, with a small
addition to his salary. 1t would then re-
quire comparatively but a small appropria-
ton to keep it running, for the purchase
and repair of instruments, etc. If the State
service is in cooperation with the United
States Signal Service then Signal Service
man would be furnished to put the data in
proper shape for the Signal Service depart
ment. He therefore would be an assistant
to the Secretary of the State Agricultural
Society if il had charge of the State weather
service.
As far as its causing the United States
Signal Service to neglect California, it
would be great help to the officer in charge
at San Francisco in making monthly re-
ports and abstracts OF the weather, and
would be an extra encouragement to the
Chief Signal Officer at Washington to help
California that much more.
A State weather service is sadly needed
now, especially as various sections are
working hard to boom their individual
portions of the State. The whole State i,
would be benefited by State weather
service.
The object of State weather service
should be to observe and utilize every fea- |
ture that affects the prosperity of the in
habitants of the State, as to crops, health, |
life, etc. The State service is, therefore, |
essentially plan for gathering and utiliz- |
ing local data, and eventually it will define |
precisely the localities most favorable to |
special crops, diseases, etc. The idea is |
certainly a noble one. The plan of the |
State service is to have a central Office and |
State Director, and at least from one to |
four voluntary observers in each county, |
who will keep record Of temperature and |
rainfall, and report the same to the Central |
Office of the State weekly and monthly. |
Attention is invited to the following adj |
vantages of State weather service"
1. 1t will be the means of soon securing |
better predictions of weather changes and
storms.
2. II will bring the benefits of the Signal |
Service of the United States into every |
county of California participating in the |
State local organization, and will be widely |
beneficial to agricultural interests.
3. 1t will give to every county the Gov |
eminent standards for temperature, rain |
fall, wind velocity, humidity, ETC., which |
are sources of useful public information.
A will IF
agricultural societies means of accurate OBJ |
servations, which in the course of years |
must be valuable to any locality in the study |
and adaptation of cereals.
5. 1t will bring the science and methods |
of the Signal Service within the reach of !
the high schools of the State, offering teach |
ers and pupils alike excellent opportunity |
to study a wide range of the application of |
science to foster and protect agricultural in |
dustry.
6. 1t will lead to the collection of rainfall |
statistics to enable engineers to better esti- |
mate the supply of canals, also the sudden |
downpours to guard against in laying out
sewers in cities. 1t will lead to a correct |
knowledge of rainfall over different water
sheds of the State, for the purpose of giving |
data for supplying the water works of |
cities, towns and villages.
I. 1t will lead to the forming of reliable |
meteorological records for use in legal cases. |
8. 1t will lead to better practice of med |
cine, when physicians throughout the State !
can study diseases with reliable and accu-
rate meteorological facts by their side; and |
for sanitary purposes correct meteorological |
statistics are invaluable to the practitioner
in applying preventive remedies for the |
public good.
For about S13 the instruments for tenn
perature and rainfall can be secured, viz:
Thermometers. Cost |
External. ............. s. so |
Maximum Sc fregistering. 90
Minimum, selfregistering .................. co |
Measuring stick .................. % |
w
To take observations requires but little |
time daily, and the exercise is especially |
agreeable 10 those that are interested in |
natural science. Twenty or more States |
have already entered on the wolk, with most |
gratifying results. The complete success |
which is anticipated will only come when |
each State does its part and it should not |
be said of California that we have neglected |
a matter of such importance to the entire |
community, especially the farmers.